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Universal Lore
No matter how far apart the Clans grow, they will always have shared roots in the Clans of the forest. For this reason, some of their terminology, ranks, and traditions have remained the same, and some memories or stories have transcended time. This is common knowledge among all the Clans, or - if not put into practice - are at least remembered from a more ancient time. Do note that in some Clans use some of the Terminology less than others, especially if it does not directly apply to their life (such as a countryside Clan not using the word Thunderpath and thus not knowing what it is immediately upon hearing it). TERMINOLOGY GENERAL: Carrion, Crowfood - food too rotten or otherwise unfit to consume. Dirt - feces. Freshkill - food fit to eat. Gathering - The yearly convention of all the Clans. Only a certain number of cats are invited to it each year, and it is considered a great privilege to attend. Greenleaf Twolegplace - a place frequented by twolegs, but only in the summer. Horseplace, Barn - exactly what it sounds like. A ranch or farm. Hunting Party - a group of cats sent to gather freshkill for the Clan. Border Patrol - a group of cats sent to secure the borders of the Clan. Kittypet - a domesticated cat living with twolegs. Loner - a cat living peacefully outside the Clan. Monster - any vehicle. Moon___ - any landmark where a Clan comes to convene with their Warrior Ancestors. Rogue - typically a hostile cat living outside the Clans that makes trouble for them. Queen - an adult female cat. Juvenile version is "molly." Tom - an adult male cat. Juvenile version is "gib." Silverpath - a railroad. Silverpelt - the swathe of stars in the sky, a representation of StarClan. Sun-Drown-Place - the Atlantic Ocean. Thunderpath - a road where monsters traverse. They rarely leave this path. Twoleg - a human. Twolegplace - any place where many twolegs live close together. SEASONS: Note: each Clan likely has its own terms for seasons based on where they are. These are remembered, however, and used in inter-Clan conversations. The Cold Moons - winter, when snow and ice blankets the land. The Kitting Moons - spring, when couples come together to provide their Clan with new life. The Hot Moons - summer, when the sun beats down on the land mercilessly. The Frost Moons - autumn, when the first frosts descend upon the grass overnight. MEASURING TIME: Moon - one 29-day period. Measured primarily between two full moons. NOTE: in this universe the original Clans were nocturnal, so most of their "day" terms are actually night-related. If your Clan is diurnal, that's cool too! Moonrise - when the moon rises and the sun sets. Can also be used to measure 12-hour periods (ex., "The moonrise before last I saw the fattest toad there ever was!") Moonhigh - when the moon reaches its peak. Moonset - when the moon sets and the sun rises. Sunhigh - when the sun reaches its peak. Season - one quarter of a year. Each season encompasses three moons/months. Vernal Night - regarded as the last day of the year and the first night of the year, the Vernal Equinox - when both night and day are of equal length. MEASURING DISTANCE: Whiskerwidth - too small to measure/imagine. Kitstep - 1in Pawstep - 6in Tail-length - 1ft Foxlength - 1yd Treelength - impossible to measure/imagine. SAYINGS: "May StarClan light your path." - an old, out-of-style saying meant to wish a cat luck on their travels. "May you find good hunting, swift running, and shelter where you sleep." - an ancient, sacred saying to send cats off to StarClan when they die. Most often used when Clan cats find a Clan cat from another Clan dead; more localized sayings are used for Clanmates. "___ doesn't matter so much as a whisker." - the speaker doesn't care about the subject. "Better to scare a mouse than welcome a ___." - an old nursery saying; it's better to scare off a friendly cat than welcome a nasty one. The ending of the saying is replaced with any regional threat (such as wolves in the mountains or badgers in the moors.) Camp - where Clans live, die, eat and socialize. The heart of the Clan's territory and life. Leader's Vantage - the tallest place in a Clan's camp, where the Leader ascends to make announcements and holds ceremonies. RANKS Leader - the cat that... well, leads the Clan. How much power they have depends on the Clan's wishes and needs, but generally they share certain traits: they represent the Clan at Gatherings, and their names end in -star; they spearhead all the ceremonies, and are the ones who announce and/or make new laws for their Clan. IMPORTANT NOTE: Clan Leaders no longer get nine lives. It is unknown why this stopped, but most cats believe nine lives was never real at all and is a silly legend. Deputy - the cat that comes after the leader both in rank and in authority. There is not always one Deputy - however, there is always one cat that the Leader expects to succeed them. Traditionally, deputies will organize patrols and hunting parties, and help the Leader on all of their decisions. Medicine Cat/Healer - the cat in charge of the Clan's physical health. In some Clans, "medicine cat" remains a single rank, while others have seperated it into purely Healerdome. These cats specialize in herbal remedies to heal anything from a sniffle, to a broken bone, to easing the dying pains of an elder. Medicine Cat/Priest - the cat in charge of the Clan's spiritual health. In some Clans, "medicine cat" remains a single rank, while others haveseperated it into purely priesthood. These cats are the bridge between the living and the passed. They visit the Moon-place each halfmoon to convene with the ancestors, and during Gatherings they typically stay off to themselves except in certain situations. Warriors - this rank can be unified, or split between several ranks based on primary skill (such as moor runners/tunnelers), but generally the basic populus of the Clan is called "warriors" collectively. These cats make up the bulk of the Clan, fighting and hunting for them and producing the new generations. Apprentices - young cats between 6 and 12 moons of age that are learning the ways of the Clan. These young cats have names ending in -paw, and they typically have one mentor, though some Clans do give them multiple. Queens - dams who are carrying, suckling, or caring for kittens. They are one of the two most highly-regarded ranks in the Clans, for they shelter the future in their bellies. Their opinions are held in high regard across any Clan and creed. No matter where you go, if a queen disagrees, the Clan disagrees. Kits - young cats under 6 moons of age. Their only duty is to grow, play and learn. Their job is to get underpaw, ask a million questions, and be taught the baseline wisdom for what they will need to be a true Clan cat. Elders - those too old to perform their duties. They are one of the two most highly-regarded ranks in the Clans, for they hold the wisdom - and warnings - of the past in their jaws. Their opinions are held in high regard across any Clan and creed. No matter where you go, if an elder disagrees, the Clan disagrees. Other: These ranks are universal; however, they have been split, merged, and modified to fit each individual Clan's needs, wants and values. This does not mean that these are the only ranks in the Clan, though. Plenty of Clans have added new ranks and duties based on their needs and the world around them. These ranks can also be expanded upon, split up, or combined as need be. TRADITIONS Clan Meeting: Every Clan has its own traditional call to a Clan Meeting that typically reflects its highest-respected skill or value. For example, in ThunderClan it's, "All those old enough to catch their own prey," while in ShadowClan it might be, "All those old enough to stalk the shadows." Warrior's Vigil: Though no longer part of the Code, many Clans (especially descendants of ThunderClan) still uphold the Warrior's Vigil. The practice goes as follows: when a young cat recieves their True Name, they stand guard over the Camp overnight, not permitted to speak or sleep. This gives the new adult time to reflect on their new duties and position, and gives them a sense of confidence. It shows them that the Clan feels comfortable sleeping with this new young warrior on guard, as they've proven themselves worthy. Some Clans have modified this vigil, its rules, and how it's done, but the implications remain the same. Funerals: When a Clan cat dies, they are taken to the center of camp and mourned for the entire day or night. The entire Clan joins at first; however, the dead's family, apprentice/s and the leader stand vigil the longest, save for any suckling queens that must sleep for their kits. After the vigil has been completed, the Elders or Medicine Cat will bury the dead along with their family. Sharing Tongues: during either noon or midnight (depending on whether the Clan is diurnal or nocturnal), the Clan will come together for a mid-wakefulness meal. Prey is shared between friends and family, and gossip and news are passed around. Moonplace Visit: once lost when the ancient Clans moved from the forest to the lake, this tradition was reinstated during the Expansion Era. Many cats had grown up without any direct contact with StarClan, and so a religious connection needed to be rekindled. Now, it is a full-force tradition. Every apprentice (or equivalent) is to visit the Clan's Moonplace at least once before they are eligible to gain their True Name. While they do not need to touch it or take part in any ceremony that may occur, they do need to come, ''and feel the presence of their warrior Ancestors all around them. '''LEGENDS' The Great Clans: old queens' tales meant to inspire strength, courage and loyalty in young kits still learning the ways of the Clan. The Great Clans consist of three groups: LionClan, TigerClan, and LeopardClan. LionClan is said to embody the spirit of both ThunderClan and SkyClan; TigerClan, the spirit of ShadowClan; and LeopardClan, both WindClan and RiverClan. There are many tales of them that have evolved throughout the ages, but the Clans remain consistent. Firestar: known as one of the best Leaders to ever come of the primitive Clans, Firestar is a legend among legends - having saved the Clans from a hoarde of rogues, brought the extinct SkyClan back into being, led all four Clans through a journey to find a new home, and gave his life protecting the Clans from an onslaught of evil spirits. Some cats worship him as a sort of patron, while others simply see him as a figure to look up to. Now that the Clans wield the powers of flame, some cats go as far to claim that Firewatcher was his reincarnation or otherwise his distant kin, for she inherited his cleverness and love for all Clans, not just her own. Their Founder/s: every Clan reveres their own founder more than anything else. It was this cat that brought their way of life into fruition properly. Some Clans have even gone so far as to name themselves after their founders, as the ancients once did. The Ancient Founders: Windstar, Thunderstar, Skystar, Shadowstar and Riverstar; the first leaders of all the Clans are a power to be known and respected. Without their efforts, none of the numerous Clans would have ever existed! They laid the foundations for countless generations to come. It is said they each manifest in the world in differing ways. Unusually swift gusts of wind are signs of attention from Windstar; sudden and unexpected thunderstorms are a sign of Thunderstar's presence; a sudden change in the clouds is said to herald Skystar; the darkest part of the night is said to be when Shadowstar prowls; and when the river suddenly flows gentler and carries rather than pulls, Riverstar has made his presence known. Gray Wing, The Wise; '''aka Silverpelt:' Most commonly revered by WindClan, but known by all the Clans. He is the embodiment and origins of all Clan life, and his dew-speckled fur is said to be the backdrop for Silverpelt's gleaming swathe. It is known that he named the Clans and died protecting their most precious members. As legend goes, upon Gray Wing's deathnest, his fur was littered with morning dew; as he ascended to StarClan, the dew on his fur began to glow brighter and brighter, and as he rose, he went above StarClan. His love for the Clans extended beyond death; as he blanketed the once-starless night, his great eye became the moon and the dew speckling his pelt became the stars and constellations. '''THE WARRIOR CODE' While every Clan has its own "warrior code," everyone has one. There are some laws that remain universal; though the wording or the purpose may be different, the tone is always the same. # Defend your Clan, even with your life. # Elders, Queens and Kits are to be fed first. # Prey is killed only to be eaten. # A kit must be six moons old to begin training. ## Kits must stay inside the Camp until apprenticehood. # A cat may not be made deputy without having mentored an apprentice, or raised kits to apprenticehood. # A Gathering of all Clans is held on the first full moon of summer. # Boundaries must be checked and marked daily; all trespassers are to be challenged. # No Warrior can neglect a kit in danger or pain, regardless of origins. # A Warrior rejects the soft life of a kittypet. # No Clan may ignore the plight of another Clan. Removed Codes # Do not hunt or trespass on another Clan's territory; due to the fact that most Clans no longer share borders, this was rendered obselete # Newly appointed warriors keep silent vigil for a full night; while this was removed due to the Clans moving away (and thus no longer fearing invasion from their neighbors), most Clans still do this as a tradition. # The deputy will become leader after the current leader dies, retires or is exiled; mainly removed due to Tallstar's replacement of Mudclaw. Many cats saw how some would take their deputyhood as a right rather than a privilege. # After the death, retirement, promotion or exile of a deputy, a new deputy must be chosen before Moonhigh. Mostly due to the dropoff of sudden, unexpected deaths in the Clans after Firestar came into power. Medicine saw a boom during his reign that raised lifespans from a few short years to nearly a decade long! Due to this, most leaders saw the moonhigh rule as being a rush, and felt worried they would choose the wrong deputy due to the narrow time limit. Older Clans tend to stick more closely to this rule. # The word of the Clan Leader is the warrior Code. It's just a bad rule, made by a bitter old leader; it caused more harm than good by the time Bramblestar's Imposter was defeated! The atrocities committed by Oakstar, Brokenstar, Leopardstar, Tigerstar, and the Imposter were all due in part to this code, and so it was quickly cast away. # An honorable warrior does not need to kill to win their battles. While this is still in practice across most Clans, the lack of immediate border-sharing meant most enemies were "outside the code" - meaning they were exempt from this rule anyway. # Medicine Cats may not have kits. The immense size of the Clan meant that multiple medicine cats were needed, rather than just one as older generations had; and this meant the load was bared across several backs. With this lightening of the load, combined with the fact that there were always multiple queens in the nursery at the time, cats began to realize how useless and strife-inducing this rule really was. Not to mention, it was a medicine cat's kits that bore the power of the stars in their paws.